| Russian Academy of Sciences Centre for Egyptological Studies, Moscow (CESRAS) & Russian Institute of Egyptology in Cairo (RIEC) Studies of coffins found in the Royal Cache TT320, Deir el-Bahari, Thebes Coffin of Paherypedjet, 20th Dynasty, Cairo CG61022, contained mummy of the lady Ray, 18th Dynasty Site Directory Personages Artifacts Iconography Coffins Directory Royal Cache TT320 Network Index |
Intellectual property of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Centre for Egyptological Studies (CESRAS), Moscow R. F.: This material may be used freely for non-commercial purposes. It may
not be altered in any manner by digital manipulation. If you use it, please give us a credit. Should you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at admin@cesras.org. We
hope that you are enjoying your visit to our site and hope that you will come again soon. This is an "open-end" project and there will always be something new.
not be altered in any manner by digital manipulation. If you use it, please give us a credit. Should you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at admin@cesras.org. We
hope that you are enjoying your visit to our site and hope that you will come again soon. This is an "open-end" project and there will always be something new.
The hieroglyphs on this coffin are very carefully executed by a painter with an unusually individual hand. We would be
most interested in hearing from colleagues elsewhere if they have seen this very personal style of other coffins. Please
send any information to admin@cesras.org.
Here are some individual elements of this painter's work. Everything is in .jpg files which you may download and use for
non-commercial purposes.
most interested in hearing from colleagues elsewhere if they have seen this very personal style of other coffins. Please
send any information to admin@cesras.org.
Here are some individual elements of this painter's work. Everything is in .jpg files which you may download and use for
non-commercial purposes.
Scroll right & down
The mummy of the lady Ray, nurse of Ahmes-Nofretari, wife of King Ahmose I (ca. 1550-1525) regarded as founder of the
18th Dynasty, and thus of the New kingdom, was found in the excellent 20th Dynasty coffins of Paherypedjet pictured
here, in the Royal Cache TT320, Deir el-Bahari, Thebes, in 1881: Cairo National Museum CG61022.
To the right we give you an idea of the general difficulties facing a photographer in documenting such coffins in their dark
narrow display cases many of which can only be reached by means of a ladder. These dark little "tombs" were built, one
above another, to the highest standards of cabinet-making in 1904, massive wood and made to last forever. It appears that
glass of sufficient length was to be had at the time, so the coffins appear to be cut into three pieces, often hiding important
elements of their decoration. In the case of this coffin, as we shall see below, one such figure is completely hidden. It
would be possible to open the cases, but the procedure would be so difficult that we could not have it done. This page will
show you the difficulties involved in making more or less acceptable photos under these conditions. In some museums of
the former Soviet Union the conditions are much worse. This photo was made by CESRAS Research Fellow Sergej V.
Ivanov in 2007, using a Nikon D70 and digitally processed by the undersigned.
Edward R. Loring/CESRAS/2010
The mummy of the lady Ray, nurse of Ahmes-Nofretari, wife of King Ahmose I (ca. 1550-1525) regarded as founder of the
18th Dynasty, and thus of the New kingdom, was found in the excellent 20th Dynasty coffins of Paherypedjet pictured
here, in the Royal Cache TT320, Deir el-Bahari, Thebes, in 1881: Cairo National Museum CG61022.
To the right we give you an idea of the general difficulties facing a photographer in documenting such coffins in their dark
narrow display cases many of which can only be reached by means of a ladder. These dark little "tombs" were built, one
above another, to the highest standards of cabinet-making in 1904, massive wood and made to last forever. It appears that
glass of sufficient length was to be had at the time, so the coffins appear to be cut into three pieces, often hiding important
elements of their decoration. In the case of this coffin, as we shall see below, one such figure is completely hidden. It
would be possible to open the cases, but the procedure would be so difficult that we could not have it done. This page will
show you the difficulties involved in making more or less acceptable photos under these conditions. In some museums of
the former Soviet Union the conditions are much worse. This photo was made by CESRAS Research Fellow Sergej V.
Ivanov in 2007, using a Nikon D70 and digitally processed by the undersigned.
Edward R. Loring/CESRAS/2010
Figure is hidden behind
wooden slat. Text to its
right is in dark shadow
and could not be
reconstructed.
wooden slat. Text to its
right is in dark shadow
and could not be
reconstructed.
Mutation of colours indicates that the painting
may have been made on a light yellow wash
(20th Dynasty ?) or perhaps lightly varnished
at the time of its re-use in D21a
may have been made on a light yellow wash
(20th Dynasty ?) or perhaps lightly varnished
at the time of its re-use in D21a
Scroll down for complete coffin
Hidden figure
Deep shadow
Deep shadow
Deep shadow
Bad lighting on foot
What the museum visitor will see
Maximum digital lightening to preserve heiroglyphs
Hopeless
Name of owner in both
registers: <wsr> pA-Hr(y)-pDt
registers: <wsr> pA-Hr(y)-pDt